Chapter 84: Defying the Heavens with Scores!

Inhale! Exhale!

Inside Xiao Yu’s private club, Chen Feng sat cross-legged in silent meditation, following the incantation of the “Qi Cultivation Technique.” He had been practicing this set of exercises for some time now, and was already able to generate a strong sensation of internal energy. However, the final step—sinking the qi into the dantian—remained out of reach.

Chen Feng, of course, was not overly anxious. Sinking the qi into the dantian was the final step in cultivating internal power. In truth, his progress was exceptionally fast; most practitioners spent a considerable amount of time just learning to sense qi at all. To reach the point of sinking it into the dantian, even the gifted took three to five years, sometimes longer—over a decade was not unheard of. Only those with extraordinary talent could achieve this sensation within a year.

If one first perfected the outer physical cultivation before turning to inner power, the process could be much faster. A strong body and robust blood made it far easier to sense qi, and inner cultivation would proceed even more swiftly. Chen Feng had already reached the pinnacle of outer training—and more than that, he had done so thanks to the super-soldier serum from Captain America, pushing his body beyond its limits. Not only did this make his body stronger, but his intellect was also greatly enhanced, with a terrifying level of talent and perception.

In less than a month, Chen Feng had developed an acute sense of qi, and with his improved intellect, his cultivation of the “Qi Cultivation Technique” was progressing at a remarkable pace. While he hadn’t yet completed the final step, he had the distinct feeling that the breakthrough was near.

Bit by bit, countless strands of energy gathered within him. Chen Feng took a long, deep breath, and instantly, all the energy converged into a single current, pressing directly toward the core of his dantian. He didn’t know how much time had passed when, all at once, he felt an explosive sensation within his dantian, as wisps of gentle, nourishing energy condensed inside.

“It’s done!” Chen Feng’s eyes snapped open, a sharp glint flashing within them. The subtle, gentle internal energy in his dantian circulated through his meridians at his command, drawing heat from his vital blood. With each circuit, the internal force grew stronger.

After an indeterminate period, Chen Feng let out a comfortable sigh, feeling his internal power had grown substantially. Having already reached the peak of physical cultivation, with abundant vital energy, his rate of accumulating inner strength was impressively fast. But even so, it was still too weak.

“My achievement points are still a bit lacking. Once I have enough, I could extract An Ran’s internal power directly,” Chen Feng thought to himself as he opened his eyes.

Though he didn’t care for An Ran’s character, he had no qualms about extracting her internal energy. Among those he knew, only Xiao Yu was too mysterious to read, and An Ran was the only other with internal power.

Knock, knock, knock! At that moment, a series of knocks sounded at the door, snapping Chen Feng back to attention. He called out, “Come in!”

The door opened, and Xiao Yu entered, dressed in a long black gown. The dark fabric set off her fair skin in stark contrast, creating a powerful visual impact. Her long, black hair fell loosely over her shoulders, swaying with each step. As she approached, the gentle sway of her chest drew Chen Feng’s gaze for a moment longer than he intended.

Xiao Yu was a captivating little enchantress. Every time they were alone together, Chen Feng found it impossible to suppress his physical reaction to her.

Shifting awkwardly to hide his discomfort, Chen Feng quickly spoke. “Sister Xiao, you’re here?”

Xiao Yu’s gaze fell upon his face, and for a fleeting instant, her expression changed. It was so subtle, but Chen Feng caught it.

She’s surprised! She’s realized I’ve cultivated internal power!

Chen Feng immediately understood. He no longer underestimated Xiao Yu—after all, she was a woman even his system couldn’t read. That she’d notice his little secret was no surprise. Still, Chen Feng was confident that while she might sense something unusual, she could never discover the existence of the system.

Indeed, Xiao Yu was surprised. Yet, compared to this time, she’d been even more shocked the last time she saw Chen Feng. Back then, his physique was merely above average; now, he had reached the limits of the human body. His progression to internal power felt almost like a matter of course.

“Brother, you really are full of surprises. Changing every day, always coming up with new tricks—your sister truly admires you!” Xiao Yu laughed, her words carrying a hint of meaning.

“Sister, you must be joking. How could I possibly change every day? I don’t understand. Did you need something?” Chen Feng stretched, smiling amiably at her.

Xiao Yu giggled, studying him for a long moment before speaking. “Chen Feng, do you know what you scored on the college entrance exam?”

Chen Feng hadn’t bothered to check his results himself. Since arriving, Xiao Yu had arranged for someone to find out his score.

“Oh?” Chen Feng wasn’t particularly surprised—he had no doubts about his abilities. He smiled, “Seven hundred forty-something?”

“Seven hundred forty-something?” Xiao Yu laughed. “Brother, you guessed wrong. Your score is not seven hundred forty-something!”

“It’s not?” Chen Feng’s eyes widened in disbelief. “How is that possible? Are you kidding?”

***

The An Family.

In the familiar little pavilion, An Ran was again practicing her exercises. But today, she was restless, her brow furrowed with agitation. After a long while, she exhaled deeply, unable to quiet her mind for further cultivation.

“An Ran!” At that moment, An Qiye hurried over, slightly out of breath. “Your exam results are out!”

“Really?” An Ran immediately stood up. “What’s my score?”

An Qiye looked at her intently and replied, “You scored seven hundred forty-six. I’ve checked—this is the highest score nationwide in the past ten years, bar none. Congratulations, An Ran—you’re this year’s top scorer!”

A faint smile appeared on An Ran’s face, but she quickly stifled it. “What’s there to be happy about? Seven hundred forty-six means I probably only lost points on the essay. Still, I wonder how Chen Feng did. We couldn’t get his exam number, so I couldn’t check!”

“Sister, how can that Chen Feng compare to you?” An Qiye immediately scoffed. “Who knows what luck he had, getting close to the Lu family. If it weren’t for them, I’d have made sure he regretted it!”

An Ran shot An Qiye a cold glance, her expression tinged with disdain. Her own brother was a bit too useless for her liking. Shaking her head, she couldn’t help but think of Chen Feng.

“Chen Feng, you want to compete with me for the country’s top score? What a pity. I have to admit, you do have talent and the right to chase me, but you’re destined to spend your life watching my back.”

An Qiye, flush with excitement, said, “That Chen Feng claimed he’d compete with you for the top score, but I doubt he stands a chance. You’re starting school tomorrow, right? Should I take you?”

An Ran looked at him, knowing full well that after being taught a lesson by Chen Feng and Lu Ran last time, her brother—vengeful as he was—would want to get back at them. She sighed internally; her brother really was hopeless, always fixated on Chen Feng.

“All right, you can take me to school tomorrow,” An Ran agreed almost absentmindedly. Deep down, she found herself wanting to use An Qiye to teach that arrogant Chen Feng a lesson.

The corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily as she imagined Chen Feng’s dejected face. Taking a deep breath, An Ran stood and murmured quietly to herself, “Tomorrow is bound to be quite the spectacle.”